ANALYSIS: "The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021" - CARE Ecuador
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© 2021 Leonardo Salas / CARE ANALYSIS: “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”
Elaborated by: Cheryl Martens, Taymi Milán, Jessica Flores Torres, Juan Miguel Tria, Irenia Gámez, Nicoletta Marineli, Diana Santos. Technical Coordination: CARE ECUADOR Alexandra Moncada - Country Director Mónica Tobar - Program Quality and Resource Mobilization Manager Xavier Muenala - Humanitarian Action & DRR Program Coordinator Manuela Farina - Humanitarian Assistance Project Officer Ana Maria Morales - Humanitarian Assistance Project Officer Diego Mora - Humanitarian Assistance Technician. Acknowledgements The current study was benefited from the valuable contribution of organizations that provide temporary shelter services and local authorities in Quito, Huaquillas, Lago Agrio, Machala, Manta and Tulcán. The consulting team and the technical coordination of CARE Ecuador, are especially grateful to Fundación Nuestros Jóvenes, Orden Hospitalaria San Juan de Dios, Scalabrinian Mission, Caritas, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion, the National Services of Risk and Disaster Management, provincial and municipal local governments in the areas where the study was carried out and to all migrants and refugees who participated in the study. This publication has been funded thanks to the support of IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), CARE UK, from March 16 to April 16, 2021.
© 2021 Leonardo Salas / CARE
INDEX
1 Introduction 5
1.1. Some conceptual clarifications 5
1.2. Research objectives 7
1.3. Methodology, profile of the consulted population and samples 7
2. Results 12
2.1. Humanitarian context: Venezuelan humanitarian crisis focused on the shelter sector in
institutions in Ecuador 12
2.2. Reception capacity and terms of stay 12
2.3. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) 15
2.4. Emerging measures in the context of COVID-19 17
2.5. Internal discipline, protocols, and violence prevention 17
2.6. Food services 17
2.7. Health care services 17
2.8. Education services 20
2.9. Possibilities for conducting livelihood activities 20
2.10. Protection services: Services offered and their limitations 22
2.11. Access to recreational spaces and activities with the host community 24
2.12. Demand for access to temporary accommodation services for the migrant and refugee
population and needs for access to protection services, GBV prevention, health, WASH,
education, livelihoods for the migrant and refugee population. 25
• Arrival at hostels and perceptions about the accommodation service.
Possibilities of communication and family contact 25
• Knowledge of the rights of migrant and refugee people 27
• Acts of violence, GBV, and its causes. Perceptions of security and insecurity
inside and outside the shelters 27
• Access to food and nutrition 30
• Assistance and access to Health 31
• Access to educational services 31
• Perceptions on Livelihood Training: Usefulness, and Limitations.
Access to the labor market 32
• Recreational and participation spaces 34
• Relations with the host community 36
• Exit Strategies 36
• Priority attention groups (female GBV survivors, children, and adolescents,
LGBTIQ+ people; unaccompanied adolescents, among others). 37
3. Conclusions 38
Making visible the gaps regarding services supply in shelters and demands of people in
human mobility 38
3.1. Shared concerns 38
3.2. The shared dream 42
4. Recommendations 42
4.1. NGOs, Humanitarian Assistance Organizations, and International Organizations 42
4.2. Organizations and Accommodation Agents 43
4.3. Public authorities and decision makers 43
ANNEX 44“The current state of the situation of migrants
and refugees in temporary housing and shelters
in Ecuador March-April 2021”
1. Introduction
CARE is an international non-profit organization that contributes to reducing poverty; it has presence
in Ecuador since 1962. CARE works with people to develop their agency, that is, to increase their
self-esteem, confidence, and ambitions to change their situation, as well as providing knowledge
and developing skills and abilities to increase their resilience. CARE seeks to address and eventually
change inequality that continues in intimate relationships, families, education, social and political
networks, markets, and among community groups or citizens. Discrimination and exclusion can be
preserved through laws and policies, as well as social norms and customs that influence how people
are expected to behave and participate in the social, economic, and political spheres based on their
gender.
Venezuela is experiencing what could be the worst crisis in its recent history, with levels of extreme
poverty, exacerbation of violence and insecurity, and manifest deterioration in the quality of life.
Extreme shortage of food, medicine and other goods, combined with hyperinflation, has forced more
than 5.4 million people to leave Venezuela, according to GTRM figures 1 (2021). More than 431,207
Venezuelans are estimated to have settled in several Ecuadorian locations (GTRM, 2021), while a
significant number have moved to other countries. The vast majority of these people require protection
and humanitarian attention, which increase in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.
Refugees and migrants were recently affected by the closure of the Colombia and Peru borders in
March 2020, due to the COVID-19 health crisis. According to the GTRM, the borders’ closing goes hand
in hand with increased inflows through irregular crossings. This also implies augmented levels of
violence in borders, including robberies, assaults, trafficking networks, sexual exploitation, and
increased precariousness of social and economic conditions, as well as xenophobia (GTRM, 2021).
In this context, and due to social system asymmetries, women, children, unaccompanied adolescents,
the elderly, and the LGBTIQ+ population are more vulnerable to increased gender violence and human
trafficking. For this reason, it is essential to “understand the circumstances and conditions of the
migrant and refugee populations living in shelters,” by assessing the perceptions of this population.
This report aims at explaining the conditions of shelters that host Venezuelan population in human
mobility. The following section will present the state of the art of academic literature on shelters and
foster homes that we were able to collect, as well as the results of the primary information collected
in eight shelters located in the cantons of Ibarra, Quito, Manta, Machala, and Huaquillas, from March
16 to April 16, 2021.
1.1. Some conceptual clarifications
Studies on the subject of temporary accommodation, carried out in Ecuador, are rather scarce. Within
this bibliographic field, qualitative research and case studies prevail as theoretical-methodological
resources. Among academic writings, connections between migration and poverty stand out,
plus the need for coordination between various actors, including the State, to protect vulnerable
populations such as children and adolescents (C&A), women, and sex-gender diverse people from an
intersectional approach. Likewise, the issue of safe accommodation for human trafficking survivors is
rarely addressed.
1 Refugee and migrant working group for its acronym in Spanish
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 5Based on research results and critical views on the governance of safe spaces, shelters can be seen as
a “disciplinary entity” and a “relief space,” but not as an integral solution for social integration. On the
other hand, these places, even with their limitations, are highly valuable for vulnerable populations,
who sometimes develop a sense of belonging towards them. Other key findings are the scarce specific
spaces for the LGTBQ+ population, as well as the gap between public policies and their application in
Ecuador.
We define “shelter” as the buildings that provide protection, security, and safety to people against
threats, imminence or occurrence of potentially destructive phenomena with multiple causes,
including the management and recovery from risks and disasters and the humanitarian response to
migratory flows. Shelters also aid for the restructuring of life projects.
The comprehensive services model focuses on the provision of basic assistance of diverse scope,
including the use of accommodation facilities, the existence of collective and private spaces, both by
gender and/or mixed, for family groups, couples or individuals; provisioning and supplies to spend
the night and for personal hygiene, as well as access to water, sanitation, and food. Eventually, as
part of these services, emergency health, education and legal assistance can be found, as well as the
provision of clothing and other supports that contribute to improve the transit conditions of migrants
and reduce the risks and vulnerabilities that they faced during this period (UNDP, 2015). In addition
to the general services comprised, this model gets its name from the profile of the beneficiaries
it welcomes, with no restriction protocols or differentiated approaches, as in the case of Priority
Attention Groups.
According to the theory and basic principles of humanitarian action, the attention model of a shelter
focuses on rights and is based on tailored intervention strategies articulated from interdisciplinary
assistance to the needs and demands of certain segments of the population. The services provided by
the different organizations linked to this model include therapeutic, psychological, psychosocial and
psycho-pedagogical attention, rights empowerment, strengthening of life projects, prevention and
management of specific rights violations from a differential approach that responds to the demands
of particular situations (Van der Gucht et al., 2019; Rova et al., 2020; Gottlieb et al., 2020; Zamora, 2015
& Aldeas Infantiles SOS Colombia, 2020). The focus of the organizations linked to this model is based
on the special protection needs of priority attention groups that generate specialized interventions
aimed at restoring rights, protection, and security with a differentiated and intersectional approach,
besides providing comprehensive services. The range of services within the comprehensive model
is oriented not only to support vital demands such as access to food, water, sanitation, shelter,
protection, education, and health care; but rather to generate coordination, links, capacities, skills,
and competencies for resilience and integration in society, minimizing the psychological effects of not
belonging, marginalization, strangeness, and re-victimization (Badali, 2019).
The differentiating element of this approach lies on the prominence of public policies on migration and
the role of the state in the supervision and support of services, including issuance of documentation,
information channels to access services, access to housing through affirmative action policies, subsidy
programs, prevention of xenophobia, apostille of diplomas obtained abroad, guidelines for hiring
migrant and refugee workforce, training in livelihoods and sustainable enterprises, as well as outreach
and public awareness campaigns on the contributions of migrants to the development of society.
It is fundamental to mention that the administrative control policies for humanitarian monitoring of
migrants and the “police state” approach of migration policies promoted by government administration
6 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”over the years 2017-2021, with many similarities among South American countries, inhibits the
possibility of shelter management with State support in the terms described above.
On the other hand, the country has acknowledged the basic rights of people in human mobility, such
as temporary accommodation/shelter, access to refugee status or immigration regularization, legal
advice, protection of rights and guarantees, access to health, decent work, education, water, hygiene
and sanitation, adequate food and nutrition, reestablishment of family contact, and support for
voluntary return. Additionally, other essential rights are incorporated focusing on Priority Attention
Groups based on social and/or psychological assistance, livelihood counseling, protection of people
living with HIV or catastrophic illnesses, people with disabilities, pregnant women, C&A, and older
adults. As a primordial condition, all these basic rights should be included in the services provided by
the country’s shelters.
1.2. Research objectives
General Objective: Have a “state of the art” diagnosis on the services offered by shelters/temporary
accommodation buildings catering to priority attention groups (children, female GBV survivors,
unaccompanied adolescents, older adults, LGBTIQ+ individuals) in the cities of Huaquillas and
Machala (El Oro), Manta and Portoviejo (Manabí), Tulcán (Carchi), Ibarra (Imbabura), Lago Agrio
(Sucumbíos), and Quito (Pichincha).
Specific Objectives:
1. To understand the condition of the services offered by temporary accommodation
buildings (shelters, hostels, and other temporary accommodation spaces) hosting migrant
and refugee populations in the cities of Huaquillas, Machala, Manta, Tulcán, Ibarra, Lago
Agrio, and Quito; assess if this offer covers the needs demand and the minimum standards
to provide a dignified and adequate response.
2. To make realistic, achievable (given the funding context) recommendations for humanitarian
work in shelters, for them to respond to migrants and refugees’ immediate needs and
achieve long-term self-sustainability. The recommendations will be directed to CARE
International and other actors working in the shelter sector, such as UNHCR, IOM, Red
Cross, other international NGOs, and other local organizations and public policy decision-
makers.
3. To investigate and assess other sectors, such as WASH, Protection (including the GBV and
IP subsector), Health, and those deemed important for a complete diagnosis.
4. To propose an advocacy plan to work with other actors and decision-makers to highpoint
the scale of Venezuelan migration and the characteristics of the emergency related to the
Temporary Accommodation sector: humanitarian needs without attention, extreme levels
of violence, sexual violence, rape, exploitation (especially against women, girls, and the
LGBTIQ+ population).
5. The study will present effective and appropriate ways to serve migrant people to reach
self-sustainability and resilience.
1.3. Methodology, profile of the surveyed population and samples
The tools designed were aimed at people who are directly linked to shelters at the territorial level
(administrators and personnel), as well as direct beneficiaries of these institutions’ services. A special
approach is taken for priority attention groups, particularly children and adolescents and women
survivors of GBV, for whom special instruments were designed, considering the specific demands and
situations that characterize these populations.
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 7To begin with, the study identified various institutions with different profiles and services. Thirty-
three (33) institutions in total: 3 in Huaquillas, 2 in Machala, 2 in Portoviejo, 2 in Manta, 2 in Tulcán, 4
in Ibarra, 6 in Lago Agrio and 12 in Quito. These institutions include local governments, civil society
organizations, international organizations, private initiatives, public administration centers / Ministry
of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) and religious institutions; the people to whom its protection
or comprehensive services are directed, whether they are women, survivors of GBV and C&A. From this
initial identification, the study selected a sample of eight institutions that represent the heterogeneity
of the population, considering the factors previously described, as shown in Table No. 1.
Table No. 1. Preliminary survey of shelters/hostels by territory and sample selection.
Province Canton Institution name Administrator Type of Type of protection Sam-
organization services ple
Non identified UNHCR International Integral
Org.
Huaquil-
las International
Virgen de la Merced Cáritas Integral
Org.
El Oro Centro de Alojamiento Temporal “8 de International
Adra
Septiembre” Org. Integral X
Movimiento Mujeres de El Oro Women and children /
Machala (Comprehensive care center) - Civil society Civil society GBV survivors / LGBTIQ
Machala +
Adolescent survivors of X
“Casa Linda” MIES Public
Trafficking
Portoviejo Children and
Casa Hogar de Belén Religious
Portovie- Archdiocese adolescents
jo
Feder. Aldeas Children and
International
Manabí Aldeas Infantiles SOS Infantiles SOS adolescents
Org.
Int.
Women, children and
Scalabrinian
Jubasca Religious adolescents / GBV X
Mission
Manta survivors
Mennonite Children aged 6 months
Fundación Shekinah Religious
Churches up to 12 years
Women, children and
Local
Manos Unidas Tejiendo Progreso Public adolescents / GBV
government
Carchi Tulcán survivors
Casa de acogimiento temporal International Integral
ADRA
Rumichaca Org. X
Couples, with priority
Scalabrinian
Casa de Acogida Cristo Peregrino Religious on pregnant women
Mission
and / or with children
Imbabura Ibarra
Local Integral X
Albergue Municipal Ibarra Public
government
Casa de Doña Carmen Carcelén Private Private Integral
Local Public Women, children and
Casa de Acogida Mamá Zoila Espinosa government adolescents / GBV
survivors
8 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”Local Public Temporary
government accommodation for
Casa de Acogida “Luis Vizueta“
families. Provincial
Hospital patients
Local Public Children and
Casa hogar “Mis pequeños valientes”
Sucum- Lago government adolescents
bios Agrio Sucumbios Women, children and
Casa Amiga Women Civil society adolescents / GBV
Federation survivors
Buen Samaritano CARITAS Religious Integral X
International Children and
UNHCR
Albergue Kwasarina Huasi Org. adolescents
Tarabita
CEBAF Private Integral
Foundation
Children and
Albergue La Dolorosa Foundation Society of Jesus Religious
adolescents
Fed. Aldeas Children and
International
ALDEAS INFANTILES SOS Infantiles SOS adolescents
Org.
Int.
Women, children and
Casa Refugio Matilde Civil society Civil society adolescents / GBV
survivors
Children and
adolescents between
Nido de Protección Alas de Colibri Civil society
12 and 17 years old /
victims of trafficking
Pichincha Quito
Children and X
Nuestros Jovenes Foundation Private Private adolescents /Women
GBV survivors
Public Women, children and
Casa de la Mujer ‘Warmi Wasi’ GAD adolescents / GBV
survivors
ADOLE-ISIS GAD Public Adolescent mothers
Orden Public X
Hospitalaria
Albergue San Juan de DIOS Integral
San Juan de
Dios
Women, children and
Casa de la Mujer (Patronato San José) GAD Public adolescents / GBV
survivors
Asociación
Children and
Albergue “Casa de autonomias” Solidaridad y Civil society
adolescents
Acción (ASA)
Equidad
Non identified Civil society LGBTIQ+
Foundation
Jesuit Refugee
La Argelia shelter Religious Integral
Service
TOTAL PRELIMINARY POPULATION: 33 TOTAL SAMPLED: 8
The survey respondents provided input on: 1. Protection and security; 2. Legal advice and access to
documents for immigration regularization; 3. Access to health / medications / sexual and reproductive
health / psychological and psychosocial assistance; 4. Access to adequate food and nutrition / access
to sufficient and safe water; 5. Access to education / training / skills development; 6. Assistance on
safe housing; 7. Assistance on access to work, employment and other self-managed livelihoods; 8.
Participation and socio-economic integration; 9. Social cohesion, prevention and confrontation of
xenophobia and other forms of violence and social exclusion.
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 9The qualitative instruments included semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (C&A,
adults -men and women- and members of the LGBTIQ+ community). In the case of focus group
discussions (FGD) with children and adolescents, different intervention approaches were applied, such
as using recreational elements (games and vignettes) and accompaniment from psychologists and/
or pedagogues. Another methodological element incorporated was the segmentation of participants
of FGDs by age range: ages 5 to 10, and ages 11 to 14 (knowing that the projections, capacities for the
expression of emotions, and relationship dynamics differ among these groups).
Four surveys were designed to obtain specific data:
1. The first survey focused on establishing the situational and infrastructure characteristics
of shelters to guarantee compliance with decent standards of habitability. This exercise
contributed to identifying the special attention requirements for investments, maintenance,
and construction for rehabilitation based on the capacities and strategic projections of the
units.
2. The second survey aimed at determining the linkage and/or contribution of the different public
actors -local governments and MIES (Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion)- concerning
the temporary accommodation/shelters sector catering to the migrant and refugee population,
facing non-addressed humanitarian needs, extreme levels of violence, sexual violence, rape,
and exploitation, particularly against women, girls and LGBTIQ+ people. The analysis of this
survey focused on identifying the potential support directed from public policy towards these
institutions as part of their approach to human rights and fundamental guarantees.
3. The third survey focused on determining the services offer of shelters/temporary
accommodation buildings to which the Venezuelan migrants and refugees belonging to priority
attention groups can access to (children, female GBV survivors, unaccompanied adolescents,
elderly, and LGBTIQ+ people). The survey aimed at identifying new entrances reception
capacities and accommodation conditions, characterize the residents and their life situations,
and assess conditions such as access to basic services: accommodation, food, drinking water,
legal assistance and migratory regularization, health care, sexual and reproductive health,
psychological attention, and biosafety. The study also covered access to education for children
and adolescents, access to the labor market, self-managed livelihoods, training, education,
skills development, and skills for employment and entrepreneurship. In addition, the study
addressed issues of social cohesion, perceptions of well-being and security, tensions, and
occurrence of discriminatory and/or xenophobic acts.
4. The fourth survey addressed the sociodemographic characteristics, situational conditions,
perceptions, and perspectives of socioeconomic insertion of the beneficiaries regarding the
services offered in shelters where they temporarily reside. The questionnaire included inquiries
around limited access to fundamental rights and guarantees for users.
The provisions on handling information, confidentiality, and feedback were observed throughout
the survey process. The consulting team established a procedure for forecasting contingencies and
referral of cases, if cases of people with needs for psychological care, crisis management, and legal
assistance were identified through survey application.
Under the instruments defined in the research methodology, 130 surveys were carried out to shelter
system services’ beneficiaries, of which 50.7% were male, 47.69% were female, and 1.54% self-identified
as other gender. Regarding age groups, the most representative are those ranging from 19 to 35 years
old (53.8%) and 36 to 64 years old (30%), followed by those under 18 (14.6%) and those over 65 (1.64%).
Another variable utilized was the marital status of respondents, of which 62.3% identify themselves
as single, 30% reported being in a de facto union, 5.4% are married people and 2.3% are widows. Most
single survey respondents are women, while males lead the married group.
10 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”Regarding family groups’ composition, 61.5% of the people surveyed reported having a non-traditional
family composition. This data mainly describes people who are traveling alone or accompanied by
friends and colleagues they met during the trip. Other forms of family organization are also included
in this group, such as people traveling with their partners, siblings, or one parent, etc.
Within this group, the unaccompanied adolescents’ group is significant, representing 18.75% of the
“people traveling alone” sample. It is important to note that, in the shelters, the interviews revealed
that formation of small groups of people traveling alone is a subsistence mechanism that allows
displacement with minimum conditions of security and protection against robberies, kidnappings, or
other types of violence occurring during the migratory path. It is important to mention that women and
adolescents who travel alone are more exposed to human trafficking networks, as well as robberies,
physical attacks, kidnappings, and extortion. Sometimes these people are caught by cross-border
organized crime networks.
“My wife was contacted by some people that said they would help her
get to Quito quickly and safely. She had no money and came alone with
our son. In exchange, she was given drugs to bring into Ecuador, and at
the border, they stopped her. She is imprisoned in Latacunga, and I have
not seen my son. I have been wandering from place to place for four
months, sleeping on the street, and asking for money to find out where
they took him”(San Juan de Dios Shelter Interviewee).
Of the remaining portion of the sample, 32.3% claimed traveling with the entire family, comprised of a
mother, a father, and children. The remaining 6.2% are only mothers and their children, as the fathers
were not allowed into the shelter where the survey was conducted.
Table No. 2. Composition of family groups within shelters, April 2021
Other composition %
Alone 32,50%
Unaccompanied adolescent 18,75%
Mother / daughter / brother / partner 21,25%
Partner 2,50%
Does not specify 25,00%
Source: Survey of migrants and refugees hosted in shelters in Quito, Machala, Huaquillas, Tulcán, Manta, and Ibarra in Ecuador April 2021.
Prepared by the author.
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 11Regarding the level of instruction, 30.77% finished middle school and 23.85% finished high school,
followed by 14.62% who finished primary and 11.54% finished basic education. The technical education
(6.92%), university (9.23%), master’s (0.77%) and doctorate levels (0.77%) were less representative
among the interviewees’ education levels.
Regarding the type of occupation before migrating from Venezuela, the greatest group is students,
followed by laborers, household-care related activities, workers in the area of commerce, sales,
and customer service, and to a lesser extent, other trades related to beauty, food handling, other
professional activities, and teaching. Currently, 62% of these people are not working, 23% beg in the
streets or alternate street vending with begging. The remaining 15% carry out informal and occasional
jobs (recyclers and day jobs as bricklayers, carpenters, commercial promoters of restaurants, and
other local businesses, etc.).
Among survey respondents, 36.9% reported having some type of disability or severe and/or
degenerative disease. The most notorious was visual impairment, followed by heart and degenerative
diseases (diabetes, autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure, etc.) Disabilities related to hearing,
motor, intellect, or learning were fewer. One case of HIV was reported.
Finally, the study inquired the ways by which people learned about the accommodation building
where they were residing. Information provided by networks of friends and acquaintances was the
main channel (68%), followed by NGOs and by local governments (15% and 9%, respectively).
2. Results
2.1. Humanitarian context: Venezuelan humanitarian crisis and the shelter sector in institutions in
Ecuador
At the beginning of February 2021, the Peruvian government, in agreement with Ecuador, decided
to militarize the border between El Oro and Tumbes and closed 33 irregular crossings. The GTRM
Huaquillas partner organizations carried out a Rapid Interagency Assessment (ERI for its acronym in
Spanish) to gather more detailed information on the profiles and needs of Venezuelan refugees and
migrants, which revealed the following needs as priority: food (29%), accommodation (28%), health
(11%), and access to migration regularization (22%).
The shelters are operating with reduced capacity, following the national protocols and guidelines for
preventing and confronting COVID 19. However, overcrowding regularly prevails as a consequence of
the enormous demand for these services. In the same way, additional shelters had to be enabled to
host the population in the face of sudden increases in the flow due to closure of borders, which leave
large in-transit populations stranded in border areas. Various sources such as the GTRM acknowledge
that, during the last month (March / 2021), the number of refugees and migrants living on the streets
in the country’s main cities and near-border areas like Ibarra, Tulcán, Huaquillas, and Machala has
increased 2.
2.2. Reception capacity and terms of stay
The shelters where the research was carried out stated they mostly host migrants, refugees, and people
living on the street (including people from the host community), and to a lesser extent, survivors of
violence, internally displaced people, and/or people facing substance abuse.
2 See 86364
12 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”The institutions have an accommodation capacity that ranges from 18 to 150 people. Jubasca is the
accommodation building with the smallest capacity, and September 8 the one that can host the biggest
number of said range. The Temporary Shelter of San Antonio de Pichincha can host 120 people, while
San Juan de Dios has 100 beds. The Rumichaca Temporary Shelter House can host 60 people, and Casa
Linda has a capacity for 30 GBV and human trafficking survivors. See table 2.
Table No. 3. Shelters’ hosting capacity, April 2021
Maximum person accommoda- Current maximum person ac-
Accommodation building
tion capacity before COVID-19 commodation capacity
8 de septiembre 150 75
San Juan de Dios Shelter 300 100
Temporary Accomodation Shelter – Rumichaca 60 60
Casa Linda 30 30
Nuestros Jovenes Foundation 120 60
Jubasca 40 18
Ibarra Municipal Shelter 30 30
Source: Survey of the shelters’ administrative personnel in Quito, Machala, Huaquillas, Tulcán, Manta, and Ibarra. Ecuador, April 2021.
Prepared by the author.
Five of the eight accommodation sites’ administrative managers interviewed reported hosting 112
children and adolescents (42 boys, 69 girls) aged between 0 and 17. The Casa Linda shelter is the
only accommodation site with a formal education service, provided through MINEDUC. The Rumichaca
shelter, the 8 de Septiembre shelter, Nuestros Jovenes Foundation, and the Buen Samaritano shelter
have occupational and skills development services for in-transit children and adolescents.
The administrative managers of the eight accommodations sites from the sample reported hosting 182
adults. Of these, 63% identified themselves as male, 34.8% as female and 2.2% as LGBTIQ+, as shown
in Graph 1 below.
Graph No. 1 Distribution of adults hosted in shelters, April 2021.
LGTBIQ+
2,2%
MALE
FEMALE
34,8% 63,0%
source: Survey of the accommodation sites’ administrative personnel in Quito, Machala, Huaquillas, Tulcán, Manta, and Ibarra in Ecuador
April 2021. Prepared by the author.
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 1366% women, 31% men, and 3% people from the LGBTIQ+ community comprise the shelters’ staff of
the sample. Most positions include operational performance, volunteering, and security personnel.
There are fewer positions of social workers, psychologists, and doctors. The inexistence of education
professionals among the shelters’ staff is widespread.
The periods of stay in the shelters range from 3 days (Albergue San Juan de Dios) to 6 months (Casa
Linda), depending on the type of services and the beneficiary population residing in these spaces.
However, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, all institutions have made the periods of stay more
flexible. Regarding information/dissemination mechanisms on access to shelters, the administrators
informed similar routes as those reported by the beneficiaries: the usual channels are friends or
acquaintances networks, other NGOs, and the local governments, respectively.
The prevailing form of distribution of sleeping spaces comprises separate bedrooms for men and
women, respectively, followed by bedrooms for family groups and multiple rooms (mothers with
children). All bedrooms have good lighting and ventilation, as well as private bathrooms. Only the
San Juan de Dios shelter has bathrooms located outside of bedrooms. All shelter managers, except
Casa Linda and San Juan de Dios, due to the profile of the beneficiaries they cater to, indicated that
when hosting LGBTIQ+ populations, private spaces are given to these group, to prevent occurrence of
sexual harassment and abuse; no incidents of this nature have been reported to date. In the context
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shelters reduced their capacity in compliance with sanitary measures.
However, most of the informants reported facing temporary overcrowding and shelters have had to
enable other areas in the face of exponential increases in migratory flow.
El Buen Samaritano shelter in Sucumbíos, belonging to the Cáritas organization, with a long history
in this area, specifically hosts the migrant population. Since it opened in 2000, it catered to flows of
Colombian migrants and refugees. Currently it attends the Venezuelan population and, since March 21,
Haitian migrants whom entered through the Colombian border. This shelter does not have any type of
exclusion criteria; guests can stay for one month.
The Rumichaca and 8 de Septiembre shelters in Tulcán and Huaquillas, respectively, are run by ADRA
and have a management model that observes the inclusion criteria. These evaluation parameters
are taken into account, both by the organizations that refer the population and internally by the
psychosocial team. The criteria they use focus on the female population: the organization welcomes,
on the one hand, single women, whether they are heads of household, pregnant women, with
catastrophic illnesses or with disabilities (although without the need for a caregiver); and, on the
other hand, they welcome bi-parental family nuclei. Exclusion criteria include unaccompanied children
and adolescents, single men and women survivors of GBV, whom will only be admitted when other
organizations cater to them for a period of two to three days. When potential guests are people with a
will to stay in the country, the maximum accommodation period will be ten days, and between three
to four days, when they are in transit. If any agency requests to extend this stay, it may be done for up
to fifteen days.
The Jubasca shelter belongs to the Scalabrinian Mission and is located in the Manta canton. This
shelter selects the population it hosts based on their specific needs, and priority is given to families
with children and pregnant women. Stay time is five days for families without children and up to
fifteen for families with children. The Municipal shelter of Ibarra, whose target beneficiary group is
single men and women (they do not cater to children and adolescents), has a specialist in human
mobility issues, whom conducts surveys to gather information on various indicators. The guests’
answers determine their level of vulnerability, and whether or not they can enter the shelter. The stay
time ranges from eight to fifteen days.
14 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”On the other hand, although some shelters are not exclusively for the migrant and refugee population,
they primarily host this group. One of these shelters is the San Antonio de Pichincha Temporary
Shelter, of the Nuestros Jovenes Foundation, in the Quito canton, which guests are 99.9% Venezuelan
and Colombian. They have also welcomed Moroccans, Argentines, Spaniards, Brazilians, Peruvians,
and Ecuadorians to a lesser extent. As the administrator points out, “{…} we never discriminate
against anyone, whoever knocks on the door and accepts the regulation enters if we
have the capacity to welcome them at that time”. Like the previous cases, the maximum stay
period foreseen by the regulation is fifteen days.
The San Juan de Dios shelter of the San Juan de Dios Hospital Order hosts anyone in need, whether they
are street dwellers, people in human mobility, people with not enough economic resources, women
head of household with children, and families. “{…} as a religious order we do not discriminate
against anyone; we welcome whoever needs help,” states a representative of the shelter. This
center provides night service, which means occupants do not live in this space but can return to spend
the night. The time of stay here is around a month.
A special case is the Casa Linda Institutional Shelter, whose target population are adolescent survivors
of trafficking for sexual exploitation, regardless of their nationality. Currently, there are only local
beneficiaries, which raises questions regarding how the trafficking of women and adolescents in
human mobility is being identified and prevented. Casa Linda’s inclusion criteria includes; age group,
catering to people aged 12 years to 17 years, 11 months, and 29 days, and risk situation, either due
to threats, violation of rights, because their physical, psychological and sexual integrity are at risk,
because they do not have a family member that can provide immediate and comprehensive care
(District Director MIES Machala). They make exceptions to receive the children under five years old
of adolescent guests, with a maximum quota of five children. The stay time is determined based on
availability for reintegration. The technical standard dictates that the minimum stay is six months and
up to a year maximum. The reinsertion process is analyzed individually, considering each adolescent’s
condition.
Two aspects regarding the criteria on the stay time should be noted: First, the pandemic generated
more flexibility regarding stay time in certain shelters. The Nuestros Jovenes Foundation extended its
stay period for up to two months, and Caritas did the same for cases of single women. The Hospital
Order shelter, since day one of the pandemic, hosted thirty vulnerable and homeless people “{…}
who stayed {…}, for five to six months”. Jubasca also made their stay time more flexible. Both the San
Juan de Dios shelters and the Nuestros Jovenes Foundation shelter differ from the others in that they
permanently host older adults facing extreme vulnerabilities.
2.3. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
Personal hygiene kits are provided in all shelters, which include items such as soap, toothpaste,
toothbrush, shampoo, sanitary napkins (for women), and toilet paper. The frequency of delivery of
these products varies (weekly, biweekly, and monthly) depending on the resources available in each
shelter, which are usually provided by International Organizations and NGOs. The shelters with the
better conditions are under the administration of international organizations that provide more stable
supply cycles and differentiated attention for populations with special needs, such as mothers with
children under one year. Other shelters such as Jubasca and the San Antonio de Pichincha Temporary
Accommodation Shelter provide these supplies only when available, prioritizing certain groups of the
resident population. These provisioning cycles are irregular and span longer periods.
Access to safe water for consumption, personal hygiene, sanitation of housing areas, and food
preparation (when this service is offered) is available in 100% of the shelters surveyed, through
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 15conventional supply channels. Several shelters have carried out infrastructure maintenance and
other investments to expand access to water and sanitation. The drinking water comes from the same
supply source as that destined for other activities. For this reason, the beneficiaries show distrust of
the quality and safety of the drinking water.
“We drink the tap water that sometimes comes with dirt or a yellowish
color. I don’t feel that it is safe for us, there are people with stomach
aches, and I think that it is due to the bugs contained in the water,
but we have no other option ”(San Antonio de Pichincha Shelter House
Beneficiary).
In a general sense, health services are considered good by the administrations, since the facilities’
privacy has been improved, including division of spaces for males and females, as well as the conditions
of the bathroom furniture (showers, sinks, and toilets). The guest population ratified this information,
and 91.8% of those surveyed rated the services provided by these shelters as good. However, they
stress the need to continue expanding the capacity and carrying out preventive maintenance to avoid
deterioration of the infrastructure. The Temporary Shelter in San Antonio de Pichincha is the one with
the worst conditions in this regard. Due to the need to enable more emergency spaces, many of the
sanitary facilities have leaks and deterioration in the water structure.
Based on observation, only 25% of shelters have access ramps for people with disabilities. Neither
bathrooms nor common areas have infrastructure for the disabled, the elderly, and children. The
Casa Buen Samaritano shelter is the only one with emergency exit doors that consider the particular
conditions of children and adolescents, disabled people, and older adults.
The research found that, in 80% of the facilities, the shared bathrooms found in social and administrative
areas are in good condition, with locking mechanisms from the inside. The sanitary facilities enabled
for women and men have internal locks and other conditions such as high windows and ventilation
systems without visual access from the outside to allow for privacy and intimacy of people and prevent
occurrence of harassment and sexual violence. 75% of the men and women’s restrooms are in good
condition. Only the Casa Linda shelter and the San Antonio de Pichincha Temporary shelter (25% of
the total shelters) report having restrooms in poor condition, especially in the showers.
Sanitization of the spaces is carried out daily by guests and occasionally by salaried personnel.
16 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”2.4. Emergency measures in the context of COVID-19
Some of the measures implemented in the context of COVID 19 include constant sanitation of spaces,
provision of sinks for regular hand washing, disinfection points at the entrance and exit of the shelter,
and provision of isolated spaces for people with symptoms. Among the people surveyed, 90.9%
stated that the shelter had provided them with biosafety materials during COVID-19, including masks,
antibacterial gel, and alcohol.
A common problem was the lack of spaces for quarantine of new arrivals. However, some institutions
have mechanisms in place with public health authorities to apply rapid tests and PCR or symptomatic
assessment upon entry.
2.5. Shelters rules, protocols, and violence prevention
All shelters have disciplinary protocols and violence prevention mechanisms, as well as ways to
communicate these rules to residents. The protocols are applied by the managers of each institution
and address an array of situations and forms of violence and its effects. In all cases, all guests must
read and accept these norms to access temporary accommodation agreements. The administrations
highlight other organizations’ roles in holding workshops, talks, and courses on violence prevention,
particularly on gender-based violence.
Despite the regulatory mechanisms, 100% of the administrative staff surveyed stated to have witness
occurrence of violence inside of shelters, including verbal abuse and physical violence. Only one shelter
reported public violence (San Antonio de Pichincha Shelter), including threat and confrontation with
local public officials that have encouraged xenophobic and discriminatory reactions against residents
among the host community. However, the perpetrators of violent acts tend to be mostly the residents
of the shelters themselves.
2.6 Food services
Not all shelters provide food services. Only 88% of the shelters sampled provide catering (ranging from
3 meals with snacks to just one meal a day). Of those providing this service, only 50% have some type
of special diet for cancer patients, pregnant women, and people with diabetes and living with HIV. The
shelters that provide food services obtain the required resources through Organizations such as the
World Food Programme, Public Assistance Programs or Church Organizations, and self-management
mechanisms. In general, these services are deemed adequate by the administrative staff, based on
the nutritional balance of the dishes and the rations.
2.7. Health care services
None of the shelters have internal health services, although, in 100% of the cases, the need for a
service that meets emergency healthcare needs was acknowledged. However, 30% of shelter have
coordination mechanisms with the Ministry of Public Health, the Red Cross, and rapid response
protocols with 911. Only 30% of shelters reported having supplies for emergency healthcare, such as
stretchers, first aid kits, and a limited stock of drugs. Despite the high number of beneficiaries living
with chronic diseases, only the House of San Antonio de Pichincha Temporary Shelter acknowledges
the presence of chronic patients who require access to permanent medications, which are provided -
in part - by the Public Health System.
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 17In the current COVID-19 context, the shelters have implemented protocols to address new entrances
and treating of people with symptoms. These were coordinated with various public and/or private
institutions. Furthermore, the Sucumbíos shelter, alongside the MoH, organized a plan to attend people
with COVID-19 symptoms, while guests have to undergo a rapid test with the Red Cross before entering
the shelter. The cost of the rapid test is covered by various NGOs depending on the availability of
resources.
Likewise, the Rumichaca center, based on other shelters’ experience, put together a protocol alongside
the MoH and the ADRA health officer. The psychosocial team has specific biosecurity measures to
enter the rooms and when boarding a vehicle. People who want to enter this space, must do triage at
the Rumichaca health point. Once inside, mask use and social distancing are mandatory, and users are
constantly being asked to wash their hands.
The Machala shelter is working to gain the Ministry’s support for spaces cleaning and fumigation.
Internally, they follow a protocol for everyone who enters, including temperature control, alcohol use,
wearing a mask, and disinfection. For new admissions, they isolate the beneficiaries for several days
until it is verified that they have no symptoms.
The San Juan de Dios shelter has portable sinks and provides gel for people who go to place a
donation; a mechanism the shelter manages as means for funding. A group of nurses who take care
of the elderly who have lived in this space for many years always cares for the elders’ hand hygiene.
The rest of the shelters’ population receives a mask when the shelter can provide them. They are
given food on a disposable food plate and use separate, assigned booths. There is staff permanently
overseeing the use of masks. These actions were developed from the training provided by public and
private institutions.
In the case of the organization run by the Nuestro Jovenes Foundation, the testimonies collected
reveal the absence of any type of training by the public sector on how to prevent and address cases
of COVID-19. This shelter has not closed its doors to newcomers during the pandemic. They took
prevention measures, and designated a special area in a shed for new guests, where they carried out
quarantine.
The actions and/or biosafety measures implemented include temperature checking at the entrance,
the use of alcohol or gel, use of a mask, and social distancing. The staff of these various shelters cares
for the beneficiary groups’ constant hand washing.
On the other hand, the various testimonies of shelters managers evidence the great challenges
that they faced during the beginning of the pandemic and their big efforts to implement biosafety
measures.
18 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”“COVID is a virus we know little of. It continues to be a challenge for everyone due to its
uncertain behavior. Thanks to the biosecurity protocols, we have not had cases in the shelter.
The population that we serve does not wear masks. They are agglomerated because they are
in a street situation when we approach them and what we have identified is that they are not
COVID positive. So it is a bit difficult to know what the real behavior of this disease is ”(Shelter
Coordinator September 8).
“The main challenge has been handlig that amount of population. At first, guests were
forbidden to leave. They were confined for us to comply with the government health measures,
but we continued to receive people. Of course, it was a danger for everyone, but that is why we
designated the warehouse as a special area for those who came to quarantine there. For me,
not closing and continue receiving people in the midst of the pandemic was a great challenge”
(Manager of the San Antonio de Pichincha Temporary Shelter).
The scarcity of information and a protocol to be executed immediately, linked to the lack of training,
implements, and economic resources to face this new context, plus the fear of contagion felt by both
the beneficiaries and the staff are common denominators in the testimonies collected.
“If the staff memebers get infected, it will puts us all in trouble. If one gets
infected and has contact with another team member, both have to isolate
themselves for prevention, and that limits our operational capacity” (“8 de
septiembre” Shelter Coordinator).
“The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021” 192.8. Education services
The testimonies confirm that no shelter or foster home has education services available for children
and adolescents in an institutionalized way. The Good Samaritan shelter house articulates with HIAS
and Alas de Colibrí to cover this need, based on its expertise in health and education.
The Rumichaca and Huaquillas centers, run by ADRA, provide information to those with children and
adolescents on the process to be follow to enter the Ecuadorian education system. On the other hand,
the San Antonio de Pichincha temporary shelter and the Casa Linda institutional shelter manage the
children’s and adolescents enrolling into the education system with the zonal coordination office
of the Ministry of Education. However, in the case of the San Antonio shelter, the person in charge
of the hostel indicates that the registration platform does not allow entry when the arrival occurs
outside the registration time. When the student’s entry is possible, the rest of the process must be
done directly by the father or mother of the family. Yet, shelters help hosted families with the school
supplies the student will require.
“{…} Well, the last ones we’ve had, we printed the sheets directly for them. So,
for us, it is also an expense on office materials. The teacher is the one who
prints everything here and gives them so that they can do their homework”
(Manager of the San Antonio de Pichincha Shelter House).
Casa Linda, due to the population it manages, also has beneficiaries from other provinces. Once the
time stipulated by the judge for them to live in the center has passed, “social work connects with
the Education District and makes the corresponding transfer so that, once the adolescent graduates
from the center, she can continue with her education”. Likewise, these beneficiaries’ children under
three years of age are in the process of early stimulation in the child development centers or in the
Creciendo por Nuestros Hijos (CNH) centers (MIES).
In terms of training, 100% of the sampled population carried out some training activity with the
assistance of other organizations. Among the main topics are: 1. entrepreneurship and productive
empowerment, 2. cooking, 3. hairdressing, 4. masonry, and 5. pastry and bakery.
2.9. Possibilities for conducting livelihood activities
67% of the administrations surveyed mentioned they allow the exit of the beneficiaries for them to
generate livelihoods, while 33% expressly prohibit the exit of the facilities during the period of stay.
Generating their own income is a fundamental aspect for people in a human mobility situation and
any vulnerable group found in these centers. However, of the shelters that were part of this study,
the Nuestros Jovenes Foundation shelter, the Scalabrinian Mission shelter, and the San Juan de Dios
Hospital Order shelter are the only ones that allow the beneficiaries to enter and exit do some income-
generating activity. But, for this, they must comply with a schedule determined by each shelter.
In the case of the center that belongs to Caritas, it allowed exit before the pandemic. However, “{…}
now it is complicated. We cannot let people go out to find some economic means {…}. {…}
We have said that {…} once the person enters, they leave when they have resolved their
situation and have where to go”. ADRA centers, due to being spaces of passage, do not permit the
beneficiaries to exit and re-enter.
20 “The current state of the situation of migrants and refugees in temporary housing and shelters in Ecuador March-April 2021”Training is a tool that helps beneficiaries to generate income independently, through their own
ventures. Along these lines, both the San Antonio de Pichincha Temporary Shelter House and the San
Juan de Dios Shelter provide training for income generating. Sometimes they also provide implements
such as:
“{…} The kitchenette, the pan, the oil, we give these to them so they
can undertake business, {…}. This follow-up is done through Social
Work because it has happened to us that many people come with that
expectation of staring their businesses {…}. It is for them to do their
informal work outside. As a shelter, there is definitely nothing more we
can do apart from encouraging them to seek an economic path” (General
Manager of the San Juan de Dios Hospital Order).
In the same way, the Good Samaritan Shelter provides training to its recipients. It enrolles them
in programs on livelihoods that other organizations manage. Although they have these programs
available, “{...} there is a lack of work in this matter, although here a livelihood table is organized and
we are monitoring the economic development of the recipients.” Additionally, the Municipal Shelter of
Ibarra manages two routes: on the one hand, it conducts sewing entrepreneurship workshops aimed
at women and LGBTIQ+ people. On the other, the Municipal shelter refers men “{…} to different
organizations to collaborate with his programs, such as OIM’s secure income program.
To access this program, they need to have a job, and this encourages them to get a
livelihood {…} ”(GAD Ibarra).
On the other hand, the Casa Linda institutional shelter has autonomy plans through “activities
coordinated with the academia so that they study short careers. Among them is a program to access
jobs such as in a beauty salon {…} or a pharmacy ”.
In this context, it cannot be considered that carrying out entrepreneurial activities, which lead to
income generation for the migrant and/or refugee population, implies leaving that “safe space” that
the shelter symbolizes. Day by day, forced-to-migrate people must face factors that limit or hinder
their labor insertion. Limitations vary from legal to the negative perceptions that the host population
has, not only towards migrant people but also towards their own nationals.
Lacking identification documents such as a valid passport implies inconveniences for the regularization
process in Ecuador and, therefore, to be hired legally. “Local personnel takes advantage of migrants’ lack
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